IMSA opened its doors to students in 1986, graduating the charter class in 1989. These conversations with alumni and former faculty and staff explore the school’s history and what it meant to be a part of it. The pages linked below lead to video recordings, synopses, and photographs of the interviewed subjects.
The collection currently contains 16 interviews. The IMSA Archive hopes to record more in future.
In 2018 the Furnas Foundation generously provided funding to process this collection and make it available online. The project team included Jean Bigger (IMSA IRC), Dr. Sara Goek (class of 2006), Marti Guarin (IMSA librarian and archivist, 1986-2006), and Dr. Christian Nøkkentved (faculty emeritus, 1989-2013).
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Branson Lawrence and Christian Nøkkentved
Branson Lawrence and Christian Nøkkentved
Dr. Christian Nøkkentved interviews Branson Lawrence, former science faculty and principal, about his IMSA experience. He begins by discussing how he first came to teach at IMSA. He was a public school science teacher and started teaching at a IMSA's summer programs in 1989. When it was first suggested he apply for a faculty position, he was unenthusiastic, but with encouragement he came around, accepted a job offer, and started in the fall of ... Read More
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Dr. Leon Lederman, Gabriel Demombynes ’89, Jeffrey Truitt ’89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall
Leon Lederman, Gabriel Demombynes '89, Jeffrey Truitt '89, and Stephanie Pace Marshall
Dr. Leon Lederman, Gabriel Demombynes ’89, Jeffrey Truitt ’89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall discuss the early years of IMSA and the charter class experience. Dr. Pace Marshall asks Demombynes and Truitt to reflect on why and how they decided to come to IMSA as members of the charter class. They remember arriving before the dorms were built and their first impressions. The charter class played a formative role in the school, including choosing ... Read More
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Dr. Leon Lederman, Brian Maier ’89, Kevin Schraith ’89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall
Leon Lederman, Brian Maier '89, Kevin Schraith '89, and Stephanie Pace Marhsall
Dr. Leon Lederman, Brian Maier '89, Kevin Schraith ’89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall discuss the early years of IMSA and the charter class experience. Dr. Lederman starts the conversation by asking what they did wrong at the beginning. Schraith says he thinks some of the things that weren't all figured out - the places where the "seams" showed - were the most memorable, they allowed for "valuable chaos". Dr. Pace Marshall asks Schraith ... Read More
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Dr. Leon Lederman and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall: Part 1
Leon Lederman and Stephanie Pace Marshall
Dr. Leon Lederman and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall discuss the idea for a science and math school, the founding of IMSA, and the early years. Dr. Lederman begins by talking about the Saturday Morning Physics education program for kids at Fermilab. He knew that there were specialized schools elsewhere, particularly in New York City, and that may have given him the idea that Illinois could have one. He gave a talk about the idea ... Read More
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Dr. Leon Lederman and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall: Part 2
Leon Lederman and Stephanie Pace Marshall
Dr. Leon Lederman and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall discuss the idea for a science and math school, the founding of IMSA, and the early years. The state governor at the time, Governor Thompson, was supportive of IMSA and helped them navigate the political landscape. Dr. Lederman discusses the potential impact that his winning the Nobel Prize in 1988 had. While IMSA was already in its third year by that point, it was helpful to ... Read More
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Dr. Leon Lederman, Stephen Moore ’89, Jill Mitchell '89, Rebecca Arnal '89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall
Leon Lederman, Stephen Moore '89, Jill Mitchell '89, and Rebecca Arnal '89
Dr. Leon Lederman, Stephen Moore ’89, Jill Mitchell '89, Rebecca Arnal ’89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall discuss the early years of IMSA and the charter class experience. The alumni start by discussing how they first heard about IMSA and applied. Dr. Pace Marshall asks what they thought IMSA promised them. Dr. Lederman asks them what stands out in their memory, and all three alumni emphasize the excellent humanities classes and teachers and the ... Read More
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Dr. Leon Lederman, Terri Willard ’89, David Kung '89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall
Leon Lederman, Terri Willard '89, David Kung '89, and Stephanie Pace Marshall
Dr. Leon Lederman, Terri Willard '89, David Kung ’89, and Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall discuss the early years of IMSA and the charter class experience. Willard and Kung start by recalling how they decided to come to IMSA. Dr. Pace Marshall asks them about their earliest memories of the school. They remember the challenges of living away from home. Dr. Lederman asks them to reflect on their learning experiences. Experiential learning stands out for ... Read More